F.C. Romania

History

Founded in August 2006 by Romanian Ionuţ Vintilă, the club’s name highlights the Romanian heritage of most of its players. It began in Sunday league football, competing in the Sunday London Weekend League. After winning its division in the first season, the team moved to Saturday football in 2008 by joining the Essex Business Houses League. In 2010, the club entered Division One (Central and East) of the Middlesex County League, finishing as runners-up in its debut season and earning promotion to the Premier Division.

The following year, 2011–12, the club again placed second in the Premier Division but could not move up due to ground grading issues. The 2012–13 season marked the club’s first appearance in the FA Vase, where it defeated Tring Athletic in the first qualifying round before losing 7–0 to Hoddesdon Town in the next round. That same season, the club finished second in the Premier Division for the second straight year and secured promotion to the Essex Senior League after a groundsharing deal with Cheshunt satisfied the grading requirements.

The team also won the Middlesex County League’s Open Cup, beating Bratham 3–1 in the final. In 2014–15, FC Romania debuted in the FA Cup, reaching the second qualifying round before losing to Sutton United. During the 2017–18 campaign, the club captured the Essex Senior League’s Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy with a 1–0 victory over Takeley in the final. They also placed third in the league, and after Shaw Lane folded, they were promoted to the South Central Division of the Isthmian League as part of a league restructuring.

The 2020–21 season, cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, ended with the club being transferred to Division One Central of the Southern League. At the start of the 2022–23 season, a takeover occurred, and John Mackie and Terry Spillane became joint-managers—the first managers other than Vintilă since the club’s founding. Mackie left after a month, and Spillane soon followed. The club nearly collapsed, but Vintilă bought it back in February 2023 and appointed himself manager.

However, he could not prevent relegation: the league deducted three points for an ineligible player used in a November 2022 match against Hadley under the previous regime, leaving the team bottom of Division One Central. As a result, FC Romania was relegated to the Premier Division of the Spartan South Midlands League. In 2024–25 FC Romania finished bottom of the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division and were relegated to Division One South of the Eastern Counties League. At the end of the 2025–26 season the club folded after their tenancy at Cheshunt's ground ended.

Ground

The club originally played on Hackney Marshes, before moving to the Low Hall Recreation Ground in Walthamstow when they moved up to the Essex Business Houses League. When the club joined the Middlesex County League they began playing at Leyton Sports Centre. In 2012 the club began ground sharing with Cheshunt at Theobalds Lane.

Managerial history

2006: Ionuţ Vintilă 2022: John Mackie & Terry Spillane 2022: Chico Ramos 2023: Ionuţ Vintilă 2025: Rak Hudson 2025: Ryan Handley

Honours

Essex Senior League: Gordon Brasted Memorial Trophy winners 2017–18 Middlesex County Football League: Open Cup winners 2012–13

Records

Best FA Cup performance: Second qualifying round, 2014–15, 2017–18, 2018–19 Best FA Trophy performance: Second qualifying round, 2020–21 Best FA Vase performance: Fourth round, 2015–16